Kategorie: Science

  • Made In Space Receives NASA’s “Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year” Award

    Made In Space Receives NASA’s “Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year” Award

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    NASA’s Johnson Space Center this week awarded Made In Space, the space manufacturing company, with the Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year Award for performing well on every NASA contract.

    Made In Space is responsible for the Additive Manufacturing Facility which was sent into orbit in March 2016. As a result of their hard work, Made In Space has won the Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year Award from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas this week.

    The Additive Manufacturing Facility is a second-generation 3D printing device. Both modular and upgradable, it can be adapted during long missions to new technologies. Now, it has been a permanent fixture aboard NASA’s International Space Station (ISS) for two years.

    Although it’s owned by Made In Space, NASA and partners use it. NASA’s Johnson Space Center, which nominated Made In Space, oversees Additive Manufacturing Facility operations.

    The Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year Award is given to companies which work cooperatively, are responsive to contractual agreements and perform well on every NASA contract.

    “We’re honored to win this prestigious award… We’re grateful for NASA’s confidence in our team and look forward to success with AMF and other programs for many years to come,” said Mike Snyder, Made In Space co-founder and chief engineer.

    Made In Space
    Made In Space

    Digitally Launching 3D Models into Space

    The space manufacturing company state in a press release that the integration and operation of the Additive Manufacturing Facility would not have been possible without ISS crew members and Johnson and Marshall Space Flight Centers’ support.

    Once a print is created, it is put into the print queue before being “digitally launched” to the printer on ISS. The Additive Manufacturing Facility then prints using multiple feedstock polymers. For example, ULTEM (PEI/PC), ABS and Braskem Green PE.

    Impressively, Made In Space has manufactured over 100 parts for government and commercial customers using the Additive Manufacturing Facility which it operates on a weekly basis.

    So far, on-orbit manufacturing has resulted in spare parts, complex tools, medical devices and multi-part assemblies. One such print was radiation shields.

    Read more about Made In Space on All3DP or visit their website to find out more about their work.

    Source: Press Release

    Made In Space
    Made In Space


    Website: LINK

  • Custom-Shaped Explosives for US Navy 3D Printed on HP 3D Printers

    Custom-Shaped Explosives for US Navy 3D Printed on HP 3D Printers

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    We could soon see custom-shaped 3D printed explosives on the battlefield. A Tennessee-based consultancy, called E&G Associates, is aiding the US Navy in the creation of such devices. 

    E&G Associates is a Tennessee-based consultancy which advises companies on how to work with and handle bulk solids. They have the tagline “we fix powders” and work with everything from coffee beans to explosives.

    They’re now helping the US Navy create custom shaped explosives using commercial 3D printers. To do this, they recently received a $150,000 federal grant from the Small Business Innovation Research program.

    Specifically, this money is going towards helping the Navy turn plastic explosives into a nylon powder that can then be 3D printed. E&G Associates will use HP’s Jet Fusion 3D printer to create the custom-shaped explosives.

    The HP printers are ink-and-thermoplastic powder bed fusion printers. “The printer spreads the nylon powder and then prints on that flat layer of powder with the ink. Then the printer passes a heat lamp back and forth to make the dark areas melt. And that’s how you get your parts. The process is repeated in three steps. Spread a layer, ink the specific selected areas and fuse with heat lamps. You do that over and over again until you build a part,” explains engineer Nasseem Jibrin.

    His fellow associates are Benjamin Ennis, Brandon Ennis, and Michael Winn. The group is all graduates of the UTC College of Computer Science and Engineering. Dr. Bryan Ennis is E&G Associates founder and former UTC associate professor of civil and chemical engineering.

    E&G Associates
    E&G Associates

    Exploding 3D Printed Charges in a “Giant Metal Tube”

    The HP Jet Fusion is touted as cost-effective and aimed at product development teams, design firms and universities. Although HP printers were not initially designed to create bombs, E&G are finding that the machines can be adapted for such applications.

    “It’s a lot of development effort to try to come up with a machine or printer. They want to be able to take the technologies that are already available,” Benjamin Ennis said. “Instead of inserting a spool of nylon into the printer like with traditional 3D printing, they want to insert spool of explosive material.”

    Currently, the engineers are testing nylon powder and infusing it with printer ink, explosive material, and polymer additives. This way, they’re able to print the charges. However, to test them they have to go off-site.

    The engineers rely on a blast chamber at the Missouri University of Science and Technology’s engineering department. Here, they can safely detonate the explosive to test it.

    “We’ll test in a chamber that’s basically a giant metal tube. It’s about eight feet high with inch-thick walls,” explains Benjamin Ennis. High-speed cameras pick up on everything so the engineers can study the sample.

    Being able to 3D print weapons on the battlefield would be extremely beneficial to the Navy. This isn’t the first time in which it has delved into 3D printing explosives. Read more on All3DP.

    Source: UTC Blog

    License: The text of „Custom-Shaped Explosives for US Navy 3D Printed on HP 3D Printers“ by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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  • Researchers Develop 3D Printed Metamaterials That Can Control Vibration and Sound

    Researchers Develop 3D Printed Metamaterials That Can Control Vibration and Sound

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    Researchers from USC Viterbi School of Engineering have developed 3D printed metamaterials that can switch between active control and passive states, enabling control of acoustic and optical waves.

    A team of researchers at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering has just developed acoustic metamaterials that can be controlled via magnetic fields. While 3D printed metamaterials are traditionally fixed in their geometry, this newly developed material can be remotely  switched on and off.

    The materials have a precisely designed geometric structure, and showcase unique properties like the ability to block sound waves and mechanical vibrations. Using the magnetic field, the 3D printed metamaterials can be altered between active control and passive states.

    “When you fabricate a structure, the geometry cannot be changed, which means the property is fixed. The idea here is, we can design something very flexible so that you can change it using external controls,” explained Qiming Wang, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at USC Viterbi.

    Applications for this newly developed material include noise cancellation, vibration control and sonic cloaking. The team also suggests that these metamaterials could be used to improve existing communication systems.

    These metamaterials are able to control environmental sounds and structural vibrations, both of which share similar waveforms. By 3D printing deformable material that contain iron particles in a lattice structure, the team was able to use the magnetic field to compress the metamaterials.

    “You can apply an external magnetic force to deform the structure and change the architecture and the geometry inside it. Once you change the architecture, you change the property. We wanted to achieve this kind of freedom to switch between states. Using magnetic fields, the switch is reversible and very rapid,” Wang added.


    How These Sound Blocking 3D Printed Metamaterials Work

    In order for this mechanism to achieve its special abilities, the metamaterial structures rely on the properties of negative modulus and negative density. These attributes enable the material to trap sound or vibration within its structure, preventing resonance from passing through.

    The concept might be a bit difficult to wrap your mind around, but the researchers do a nice job of explaining how the properties of these metamaterials work. Objects that contain a negative modulus tend to attract you, pulling you towards them as you exert force on them. On the other hand, objects that exhibit a negative density work in a similarly contradictory way. Instead, when you push these objects away from you, they tend to move toward you. Typically, when you push an object that has normal attributes, it will push back against you.

    Each negative property independently ensures that noise or vibrations are blocked at a certain frequency range. In combination however, they allow the noise to pass through the object. By switching the magnetic field, the researchers are able to maintain versatile control over the metamaterial, switching among double-positive (sound passing), single-negative (sound blocking), and double-negative (sound passing).

    The fabrication system allows the team to 3D print the metamaterials using a beam diameter between a micron to a millimeter. The smaller the beam, the higher the frequency that can be controlled.

    In the future, the team plans to demonstrate negative refraction in these metamaterials. This property allows a wave pass through a material and come back at an unnatural angle. This phenomenon, which Wang “anti-physics”, will be studied by the team when they are able to 3D print larger structures. Additionally, the researchers intend to scale up or scale down the fabrication system for these metamaterials, providing more opportunity to work on a wider range of wavelengths.

    The study was conducted by USC Viterbi Assistant Professor Qiming Wang, PhD student Kun-Hao Yu, MIT Professor Nicholas Fang, and University of Missouri Professor Guoliang Huang. The research paper, entitled “Magnetoactive Acoustic Metamaterials”, was recently published in Advanced Materials.


    Schematic for the acoustic experiment. Cotton pads were attached to the inner surface of the plastic tube to reduce the acoustic reflection. (Source: Advanced Materials)

    Source: USC Viterbi

    License: The text of „Researchers Develop 3D Printed Metamaterials That Can Control Vibration and Sound“ by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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  • [DEAL] Pick Up a Lulzbot at 32% Off & Benefit the Free Software Foundation Doing it

    [DEAL] Pick Up a Lulzbot at 32% Off & Benefit the Free Software Foundation Doing it

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Lulzbot is holding a GPL benefit sale, knocking 15% off its already cut-price factory refurbs (bringing the discount up to 32%) with some of the proceeds going to the Free Software Foundation.

    There are few big-name 3D printer manufacturers as dedicated to open source and the unrestricted community driven advancement of the systems driving its 3D printers as Lulzbot.

    To this, the brand is have a grand old sale on factory refurbished Taz 6 and Mini 3D printers. On top of crazy good savings on these excellent 3D printers, Lulzbot will donate $50 for each sale to the Free Software Foundation, the organization behind the GNU General Public License (GPL) that keeps open software open.

    What this means in cold hard dollars however, is that you can pick up a Lulzbot Taz 6 for $1,700 and Lulzbot Mini (v1.04) for $850 — a 32% saving over their typical list price. Madness. And if the fact that they are refurbished is a little off-putting, Lulzbot also includes a 90-day warranty, so there’s plenty of time for problems to be ironed out should they arise.

    You can learn more about these printers with our in-depth reviews, here: Lulzbot Taz 6, Lulzbot Mini.

    Head on over to the Lulzbot website to learn more, snag a printer and support a good cause. Don’t rest on your laurels though, the sale ends May 14th, 2018 (and is exclusive to the United States).

    Deal:

    Find more deals over on our Deals page.

    All3DP is an editorially independent publication. Occasionally we need to pay our bills, so we affiliate some product links through which we may receive a small commission (though the links on this page are not). For the full spiel, check out our Terms of Use.

    License: The text of „[DEAL] Pick Up a Lulzbot at 32% Off & Benefit the Free Software Foundation Doing it“ by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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  • Raise3D is Pathfinding “Flexible Manufacturing” with Customized Solutions

    Raise3D is Pathfinding “Flexible Manufacturing” with Customized Solutions

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    Raise3D is striving to offer “Pathfinding for Flexible Manufacturing” through customized 3D printing solutions for vertical markets. To jumpstart the campaign, the new company has recently unveiled the Pro2 Series, a new series of desktop 3D printers made with industrial-grade components. 

    Additive manufacturing has unquestionably disrupted certain aspects of industrial manufacturing, particularly when it comes to production cost and speed. 3D printing technology does all of this while offering high potential for customization. It’s convenient for rapid prototyping and, in a growing number of cases, end-production too.

    But there are still a number of barriers that have hindered the adoption of additive manufacturing in different industrial sectors. When it comes to high volume production with standardization, traditional manufacturing is still preferred over 3D printing.

    Read more: Raise3D Aims to „Pathfind Flexible Manufacturing“ with Pro2 Series 3D Printers

    What’s missing here is the transitional step between traditional manufacturing and additive manufacturing, and this is an issue that the 3D printer manufacturer Raise3D is currently aiming to tackle.

    The company has launched a campaign to “Pathfind Flexible Manufacturing”. This industrial movement will be sparked by Raise3D’s Pro2 Series, a new series of 3D printers that are equipped with industrial-grade parts. But, in order to understand the company’s new focus, it’s important to grasp exactly what Flexible Manufacturing means and how it will change the way that additive manufacturing is utilized on the factory floor.


    What is Flexible Manufacturing?

    There are a number of factors that the bright minds within the additive manufacturing industry are working to solve, and Flexible Manufacturing could be the bridge that solidifies the connection between 3D printing technology and the industrial world.

    The Flexible Manufacturing campaign from Raise3D focuses on building desktop FDM 3D printer factories with the new Pro2 Series 3D printer series. The company will offer customized 3D printing solutions to vertical markets, providing Flexible Manufacturing systems that are tailored for each customer and industrial sector.

    This will enable the creation of affordable and specialized manufacturing capacity. With Flexible Manufacturing, customers can efficiently produce various batch sizes, ranging from one to a few thousands, and is also easy to learn, maintain, upgrade, and scale-up.

    Raise3D’s latest range of 3D printers aim to break the boundaries that currently limit additive manufacturing, particularly in regard to materials and colors, parallel production of parts in different materials, as well as parallel production of different batch sizes.

    On top of that, the Flexible Manufacturing program that Raise3D is developing also works as an entry level introduction to 3D printing technology.


    How Raise3D Aims to Bridge the Gap Between Traditional Manufacturing and 3D Printing

    After gaining recognition for the highly coveted N2 series, Raise3D is now producing the Pro2 series to serve professionals and businesses that want to integrate a Flexible Manufacturing system onto the factory floor. The Pro2 and the Pro2 Plus 3D printers are engineered for short-run manufacturing, and include dual extrusion, a sizable build volume, and other industrial-grade components.

    From now until the end of the year, Raise3D will continue to prepare customized offers for various vertical markets. The company is open to talking with corporations interested in capitalizing on the opportunities that Flexible Manufacturing can potentially offer them.

    In September, the company will offer the Raise3D Corporate Package Services, followed by the first customized 3D printing solutions for specific vertical markets at the end of 2018.

    To learn more about or pre-order the new Pro2 Series, head over to Raise3D’s website.


    Raise3D Pro2 3D Printer

    License: The text of „Raise3D is Pathfinding “Flexible Manufacturing” with Customized Solutions“ by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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  • Free-D is Helping Human Trafficking Victims Secure Jobs in the 3D Printing Workforce

    Free-D is Helping Human Trafficking Victims Secure Jobs in the 3D Printing Workforce

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    The startup Free-D is helping human trafficking victims and underprivileged women in India obtain careers by teaching them 3D printing and design skills. The first nine-month pilot program is taking place in Mumbai, and will provide 10 women with extensive 3D printing training.

    Despite the technological and societal progress that humanity has made over time, millions of unfortunate human beings remain trapped under the despicable hand of human traffickers. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), there are 24.9 million people in the world that suffer from modern-day slavery. Of that disgustingly large number, 71 percent of these human trafficking victims are women and girls.

    Without proper access to education, many of these underprivileged women lack job opportunities, which increases the risk of falling prey to human traffickers. But one startup is aiming to empower these victims and other disadvantaged females by teaching valuable skills that will help them gain a better career and overall life.

    Free-D wants to offer 3D printing training workshops to vulnerable women from all walks of life, including human trafficking survivors, as well as victims of domestic violence or homelessness. Founded in 2016 by Katherine Prescott and Siavash Mahdavi, the startup aims to provide skills training and job opportunities to help pull women out of slavery and poverty.

    “They don’t have a high level of skill or literacy skills, which means that job opportunities are really low, and it’s through the search of trying to find employment that many get taken advantage of,” Prescott recently told Forbes, describing the obstacles that keep underserved females from escaping their awful circumstances.


    Siavash Mahdavi (L) and Katherine Prescott (R), founders of Free-D.

    Free-D Aims to Help Underprivileged Indian Women Escape Modern-Day Slavery

    Originally started in London, the company is now heading to the Vodafone Institute’s Berlin-based female empowerment business accelerator F-Lane.

    Although they plan to expand the initiative globally, Free-D is starting off in India, a country where 14 million women currently live in slavery. Last year, the startup partnered with the Indian NGO Kshamata and Imaginarium, which is the largest 3D printing company in the country, to offer a series of one-to-three day workshops.

    Since then, Free-D has launched an extensive pilot program in Mumbai. The nine-month workshop will provide 10 underprivileged women with 3D printing training and psychological support. At the end of the program, the women will start internship positions with Imaginarium.

    Mahdavi is currently self-funding the company and pilot program with around £100,000 ($144,000), but will attempt to raise an additional £500,000 ($718,000) to help scale the business on a global level. Once the business is established, Free-D plans to obtain revenue from companies that are supporting the training of their future employees. Depending on the geographical location of future workshops, Prescott believes they can develop programs that utilize a “buy-one-fund-one model” to potential partners.

    By providing 3D printing education to disadvantaged females, Free-D hopes to empower the millions of human trafficking victims that are suffering across the world. In doing so, the company will also be adding resilient and deserving women to the additive manufacturing workforce.


    Source: Forbes / Free-D

    License: The text of „Free-D is Helping Human Trafficking Victims Secure Jobs in the 3D Printing Workforce“ by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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  • This Magnificent Roman Helmet is Entirely 3D Printed

    This Magnificent Roman Helmet is Entirely 3D Printed

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    Those talented folks at Custom Prototypes have done it again. Their latest project — a 1st Century Roman Helmet that is entirely 3D printed from metal and resin — has earned them the top spot in Advanced Finishing category at the AMUG Conference.

    Over the course of a few months, Canadian print studio Custom Prototypes has been working on something rather special. Ahead of the AMUG Conference at the beginning of April, these makers of derring-do have turned their idle hands to fashioning an as-new 1st-Century Roman helmet. And the result is spectacular.

    Custom Prototype's award-winning Roman helmet 3D print
    Custom Prototype's award-winning Roman helmet 3D print
    Custom Prototype’s award-winning Roman helmet

    An adventure in pushing their prowess and finishing abilities with metal 3D printing to the limit, the helmet form provided the team an organic shape that was both challenging and visually interesting.

    Utilizing metal 3D printing — on a Renishaw platform, from what we can tell in the video below — the basic skeleton of the helmet took shape. Printed in seven parts, the team used 316 stainless steel as the base material.

    Custom Protoypes Roman helmet
    Custom Protoypes Roman helmet
    The basic “skeleton” of the helmet 3D printed in metal

    Post Processing a Masterpiece

    Much as we’d like the end results of metal 3D printing to be mirror-finish smooth, the reality is far from it. For the Custom Prototypes team, a huge amount of post processing was required to take the rough 316 steel and get it in parade-worthy condition.

    Custom Prototypes Roman helmet
    Custom Prototypes Roman helmet
    Buffed and sanded using a Dremel, the individual elements begin to look the part

    To begin, the raw metal printed parts were polished to a sparkling finish. Only then were they considered ready for the next step: electroplating. Look closely at the images, and you see subtle changes in hue between the different decorative elements of the helmet. That’s because the plating for each is different.

    In all Custom Prototypes used a combination of nickel, copper, chrome and 24 carat gold plating to achieve the final lavish look.

    Custom Prototypes Roman helmet
    Custom Prototypes Roman helmet
    With the helmet plated and polished, the SLA-printed jewels are laid out for fitting

    Precious Prints

    An SLA 3D printer was used for the smaller elements decorating the helmet. These heads and mosaic-like gems were printed in Somos Watershed XC11122 and Somos Evolve resins, undergoing similarly intense post-processing to the metal. Only after a drawn out process of dyeing, painting and polishing do they take on the appearance of precious gemstones.

    Custom Prototypes roman helmet
    Custom Prototypes roman helmet
    SLA prints finished to look like Jade and other precious stones

    Lastly, the crowning achievement is the Mohawk. No Roman helmet would be complete without one. For theirs, Custom Prototypes turned to their own super secret SLA technique to print the piece in one go, with the individual strands hand-dyed to the characteristic red hue.

    Custom Prototypes roman helmet
    Custom Prototypes roman helmet
    The Mohawk, printed using Custom Prototypes secret SLA technique for supportless strands

    Inspired by historical artifacts of the 1st Century Rome, to our untrained historical eye the piece looks like it has been plucked straight out of the past. We love it, and so did the panel at the AMUG Conference in St. Louis at the beginning of April. The project took the first place in the Advanced Finishing category of the conference’s Technical Competition.

    You can see more imagery over on Custom Prototypes’ Imgur profile.

    Source: Custom Protoypes

    License: The text of „This Magnificent Roman Helmet is Entirely 3D Printed“ by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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  • New Free Curriculum makes CAD and 3D Printing Easy for UK Teachers

    New Free Curriculum makes CAD and 3D Printing Easy for UK Teachers

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Teaching 3D printing in a classroom is a difficult task without the right resources or support. PrintLab and Create Education are two companies teaming up to provide teachers with everything they need to bring 3D printing to their pupils.

    PrintLab and Create Education, two UK-based companies, are collaborating to help educators utilize 3D printing in the classroom.

    For this collaboration, Create will become the UK distributor of PrintLab’s 3D printing curriculum and products. The courses are mostly based on the free CAD software TinkerCAD.

    However, these products will also be integrated with Create’s collaborative platform which provides local support, professional development resources, workshops, and training.

    “Over the last 2 years The Create Education Project has grown to be a respected platform, providing valuable free support to the education community looking to adopt and embrace 3D printing, recognized as Winners of the Tech for Teachers STEM Award and as a BETT 2018 Finalist,” explains Michelle Chatterley from Create Education.

    With the combined offerings from PrintLab and Create, the hope is that schools in the UK will find it easier to introduce 3D printing into the curriculum.

    Providing Teachers with Useful 3D Printing Resources

    PrintLab explains in a press release that the goal isn’t to simply have a 3D printer in the classroom but to help teachers integrate the technology into lesson plans.

    They hope through initiatives, they’ll be able to maximize “potential as a tool for learning”. There are multiple initiatives available to choose from.

    For example, workshops, 3D printer loans, expert phone support, and advice as well as 3D printing news and content.

    Or, for “as little as” £625, schools can buy 3D printing bundles. These include hardware, software, materials, curriculum, training resources, professional development resources and lifetime support.

    Chatterley adds: “Increasingly our community are looking to purchase directly from us as we provide trusted products and our partnership with PrintLab enhances the range of high-quality products and curriculum resources we can offer to our community.”

    Find out more about the full range of resources available by visiting the CREATE website.

    Source: Press Release

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  • Nike Flyprint: Lightweight, Flexible and 3D Printed Shoes Designed for Runners

    Nike Flyprint: Lightweight, Flexible and 3D Printed Shoes Designed for Runners

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Nike has just unveiled the Vaporfly Elite Flyprint, a new 3D printed running shoe that is lightweight, flexible and comfortable. The material used to make this sneaker was designed in collaboration with runner Eliud Kipchoge, who ran the world’s fastest marathon of all time.

    As advancements in 3D printing have hit the ground running over recent years, some of the world’s largest athletic apparel companies are utilizing the technology to create groundbreaking footwear. Nike is the latest notable name to unveil sneakers that are produced with 3D printed materials.

    The new Vaporfly Elite Flyprint is a running shoe that is lightweight, flexible, and comfortable. The textile used for the knitting of the sneakers is made from TPU filament. The material looks like vibrant, layered wires that are unwound and melted together.

    Nike’s latest shoe is a specialized edition of the Zoom Vaporfly Elite 4%, which was worn by runner Eliud Kipchoge when he ran the fastest-ever marathon time at the company’s Breaking2 event in September 2017. Kipchoge, a Kenyan long distance runner, collaborated with Nike to develop the innovative 3D printed textile.


    Nike Flyprint: Using 3D Printing to Create More Comfortable Sneakers

    No matter how comfortable your sneakers may be, running can be a painful experience on your feet. The Nike Vaporfly Elite Flyprint aims to solve this issue. The shoe is 6 percent lighter than the previous edition worn by Kipchoge when he broke the world record for fastest marathon time.

    The wave-like lines at the top of the foot are also closer together, making the shoes more breathable and porous, allowing water to efficiently drain out.  It took Nike only four months to design, prototype, and produce the final model of the Flyprint sneakers. In comparison, it usually takes nine months to one year to launch a new shoe.

    Nike is using FDM 3D printing with production-ready TPU materials, along with a proprietary technique that directs the printer on how to lay down the colorful threads. However, there’s no word on what 3D printer is responsible for manufacturing the Flyprint shoes. It’s worth mentioning that, in the past, Nike collaborated with Prodways to produce 3D printed shoes with TPU material.


    The computational design process allows Nike to scale the Flyprint shoe sizes for each runner while also maintaining the crucial ratio of material to negative space.

    The 3D printed footwear movement first hit the mainstream with the Adidas Futurecraft, a sleek athletic shoe with a 3D printed midsole. Thanks to the groundbreaking CLIP technology provided by the 3D printer manufacturer Carbon, Adidas is able to mass produce the sneakers, aiming to deliver 100,000 pairs to customers by the end of the year.

    But unlike the Adidas Futurecraft, the Vaporfly Elite Flyprint is strictly produced for elite runners like Kipchoge. A small number will be made available at an upcoming event in London, and also gifted to various Nike runners.

    Although you might not be able to get your hands on these fly kicks unless you’re an Olympic-level runner, rest assured that the development of the Flyprint material suggests a bright future for 3D printing technology in athletic footwear production.

    Source: Nike

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  • Industrial-Strength FDM Materials from BASF 3D Printing Solutions

    Industrial-Strength FDM Materials from BASF 3D Printing Solutions

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    A lot is happening for BASF 3D Printing Solutions, the subsidiary of the German chemical company developed last August which focuses on 3D printing.

    For example, it recently presented, at the Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) Conference in St Louis, a variety of new 3D printing materials.

    The subsidiary has been working on creating 3D printing materials along with partner Essentium Materials and, together, the partners are combining many of their filaments under the name Ultrafuse.

    These filaments are intended for industrial applications. But their work doesn’t stop there as the partners are also building up a global distribution network for plastic filaments.

    “We want to offer our customers all over the world high-quality, high-performance materials for fused filament fabrication printing technology,” explains Firat Hizal, Marketing & Sales Manager Plastic Filaments at BASF 3D Printing Solutions.


    New Materials from BASF 3D Printing Solutions

    The cross-regional distribution agreement between Essentium Materials and BASF 3D Printing Solutions covers products such as Ultrafuse Z (an “extra strong filament”) and FlashFuse, the latter’s processing technology. As well as this, they will be offering expertise in application development and fused filament fabrication (FFF).

    “We want to offer our customers all over the world high-quality, high-performance materials for fused filament fabrication printing technology,” explains Firat Hizal, Marketing & Sales Manager Plastic Filaments at BASF 3D Printing Solutions.

    Later in the year, the partners intend on launching further filaments, including those which are filled and flame-retardant.

    They’re also working on UV-reactive materials after the release of the promising Photo-Resin X004M. Further developments also include UV-reactive ceramic photopolymers for metal-casting molds in aerospace and automotive applications.

    András Marton, Marketing & Sales Manager Photopolymers at BASF 3D Printing Solutions, adds: “We also plan to bring our latest material developments in the area of photopolymers to the market in the near future, to meet industry customers’ requirements for flexible and above all high strength photopolymer components.”

    Furthermore, BASF 3D Printing Solutions is also introducing a new SLS material called Ultrasint PA6 LM X085 which melts at 193 degrees Celsius. Visit the BASF 3D Printing Solutions website to find out more.

    Source: tct Magazine

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  • How 3D Printing Empowers Locals in Sierra Leone

    How 3D Printing Empowers Locals in Sierra Leone

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Surgical resident Lars Brouwers brings aid to Sierra Leone by providing training and materials in 3D printed functional prostheses to local citizens.

    Between 1991 and 2002, a civil war took place in Sierra Leone that left hundreds of innocent citizens with life-changing injuries.

    To support those affected by the loss of their limbs, there are many aid initiatives which supply 3D printed functional prosthesis. Unfortunately, their effectiveness is limited because they operate from overseas, designing and shipping prostheses from afar.

    Surgical resident Lars Brouwers, of Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen, and PhD-candidate of the Elisabeth-Tweesteden Hospital, the Netherlands, is convinced of a better way to bring aid to Sierra Leone.

    Having already researched 3D printing in a trauma hospital at Elisabeth-Tweesteden, Lars Brouwers decided to bring the technology to Sierra Leone himself, to provide knowledge and materials to local citizens in need.

    Brouwers prepared for his journey by developing prosthetic designs which could be easily 3D printed. Packing an Ultimaker 2+ and enough material to last a whole year, he and colleague Dr. Wouter Nolet —  a tropical doctor in training — undertook a three-week road trip.

    They started in the Netherlands, passing through Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Guinea, eventually reaching their destination; the Lion’s Heart Medical Centre in Sierra Leone.

    sierra leone
    sierra leone

    Providing faster, cost-effective aid to Sierra Leone

    When Brouwers and Nolet arrived at Lion’s Heart, the response by local prosthetic engineers to the new 3D printing technology was positive. Locals were eager to be trained in its use as an alternative to creating prostheses by hand.

    The unrest in Sierra Leone had left the whole country with a damaged infrastructure, however, which meant power failures are frequent. The Ultimaker 2+ needed to be installed in a location with a reliable power supply. Fortunately, the clinic had been fitted with a special uninterrupted solar power supply to mitigate any power outages, which is where the printer was installed.

    With the setup complete, and the necessary tools and training in place for locals to continue rebuilding, Brouwers returned to the Netherlands. Nolet remains in Sierra Leone as part of his medical training. Nolet, the local team, Brouwers, and the 3D lab at the Radboud University Medical Centre keep in contact via email and Whatsapp, to help with the handover and adoption of the technology.

    Local specialists can send pictures of any necessary parts they need, where Brouwers and the 3D lab will digitally model and transmit designs back to Sierra Leone. Once received, they are printed on site. The goal of the project is still to empower the locals to work independently, however. Brouwers and Nolet expect the transition process to take a few years.

    In recognition of their work, Brouwers and Nolet have also been nominated for the Albert Schweitzer award 2018.

    Source: Ultimaker

    License: The text of „How 3D Printing Empowers Locals in Sierra Leone“ by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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  • [DEAL] Flagship Printer for Less – Robo R2 3D Printer for $1,250.20

    [DEAL] Flagship Printer for Less – Robo R2 3D Printer for $1,250.20

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Californian startup Robo 3D’s flagship R2 3D printer can currently be snagged for $1,250.20 on Amazon.com — the lowest it’s ever been.

    Packing a 20 x 20 x 25cm print area, WiFi and App connectivity, color touchscreen interface and print resolution down to 20 micron layer heights, the Robo R2 certainly packs a punch. On-board memory also makes print file storage an option for a set-and-forget workflow.

    The features list goes on, with filament run-out detection and print pausing, BuildTak print surface, on-board camera for remote viewing and unusually comprehensive support including 24/7 telephone support and 1-on-1 Skype repair sessions.

    At the time of writing, you can get the Robo R2 on Amazon.com for $1,250.20 — a saving of 17% on the list price of $1,499.99.

    Deal: Robo R2 3D printer, $1,250.20

    Find more deals over on our Deals page.

    All3DP is an editorially independent publication. Occasionally we need to pay our bills, so we affiliate some product links through which we may receive a small commission. For the full spiel, check out our Terms of Use.

    License: The text of „[DEAL] Flagship Printer for Less – Robo R2 3D Printer for $1,250.20“ by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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  • BMW to Establish Additive Manufacturing Campus in Munich

    BMW to Establish Additive Manufacturing Campus in Munich

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    With a total investment worth over €10 million, automotive giant BMW will open an industrial scale 3D printing campus in Munich, Germany in early 2019.

    The BMW Group is investing more than €10 million in a new Additive Manufacturing Campus. Located in Oberschleissheim, just north of Munich, the facility will ensure the carmaker continues developing its expertise in industrial 3D printing.

    Within the BMW Group production network, the new Additive Manufacturing Campus will foster the latest technologies in much the same way as a “pilot plant” and make them available for use within the network.

    Much of the work carried out will focus on parts manufacturing for prototype construction, series production and customized solutions. The Additive Manufacturing Campus will also act as an interdisciplinary training and project area.

    “Our new Additive Manufacturing Campus will concentrate the full spectrum of the BMW Group’s 3D printing expertise at a single location,” says Udo Hänle, Head of Production Integration and Pilot Plant at BMW.

    “This will allow us to test new technologies early on and continue developing our pioneering role.”

    Located in an existing building with a footprint of over 6,000 square metres, the new centre will accommodate up to 80 associates and over 30 industrial systems for metals and plastics. It’s scheduled to open in Spring 2019.

    BMW
    BMW

    First Carmaker to 3D Print Production Run of Several Thousand Metal Parts

    3D printing is already an integral part of the BMW Group production system. Most recently it was leveraged to generate parts for the BMW i8 Roadster.

    “With the BMW i8 Roadster, the BMW Group became the first carmaker to 3D print a production run of several thousand metal parts,” says Jens Ertel, Head of the BMW Group’s Additive Manufacturing Center and the future campus director.

    The component is a fixture in the tonneau cover for the soft-top. Made of aluminum alloy, the printed item is lighter than the injection-moulded equivalent, but significantly stiffer. Its ‘bionic’ geometry, inspired by forms found in nature, was optimized for 3D printing.

    Additive manufacturing is also gaining traction for custom componentry. The new MINI Yours customization programme allows customers to design certain components themselves, for example. Items like indicator inlays and dashboard trim strips can be 3D printed to their precise specifications.

    The carmaker expects that, with time, it will become possible to produce components directly where they are ultimately needed. According to the company, this idea has tremendous potential to supplant existing production technologies.

    “The 3D printers that are currently operating across our production network represent a first step towards local part production,” continues Ertel.

    “We are already using additive manufacturing to make prototype components on location in Spartanburg (US), Shenyang (China) and Rayong (Thailand). Going forward, we could well imagine integrating it more fully into local production structures to allow small production runs, country-specific editions and customizable components – provided it represents a profitable solution.”

    BMW
    BMW

    BMW Group Investing Heavily in Additive Manufacturing

    Elsewhere, the BMW Group has also been busy investing in promising 3D printing start-ups.

    In September 2016, the carmaker’s venture capital arm, BMW i Ventures, invested in the Silicon Valley-based company Carbon, whose DLS (digital light synthesis) printing technology was a breakthrough in the production of parts with high-quality surfaces.

    The technique allows significantly larger areas to be processed more rapidly than would otherwise be possible with conventional selective 3D printing. Carbon and the BMW Group have been partners since 2015.

    Another investment in additive manufacturing came in February 2017, this time in the start-up Desktop Metal.

    Desktop Metal specializes in the additive manufacturing of metal components and has developed highly productive and innovative methodologies. It now works closely with the Additive Manufacturing Centre at the BMW Group.

    Source: Press Release

    License: The text of „BMW to Establish Additive Manufacturing Campus in Munich“ by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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  • Weekend Project: Take Aim With This Awesome 3D Printed Mini Crossbow

    Weekend Project: Take Aim With This Awesome 3D Printed Mini Crossbow

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    South Korean maker “DIYPark” shows us how to create a fully 3D printed and functional Mini Crossbow. Set up some targets and take aim, because it’s time to get your archery on.  

    When taking on a DIY project, we often see how combining 3D printing with electronics and other technologies can produce some unbelievable objects. But sometimes a 3D printer is all you need to bring a spectacularly fun concept to life.

    That’s what South Korean maker Park Gwan Su (known on Thingiverse on DIYPark) did with his 3D printed Mini Crossbow. This tiny bow will have you feeling like Robin Hood of the maker world. Not only is it fully functional, but it also packs quite a punch, so you’ll need to be responsible and cautious with where you’re taking aim.

    Nonetheless, this Weekend Project is a great way to showoff the capabilities of your desktop 3D printer, and will provide endless enjoyment to you, your family, and your friends. Let’s take a closer look at this incredible 3D printed Mini Crossbow.


    3D Printed Mini Crossbow: What Do You Need?

    In order to build your own 3D printed Mini Crossbow, all you need is your 3D printer, a few different colors of filament, some fishing line for the crossbow string, and toothpicks for ammunition.

    This project will require a fair amount of 3D printing time, as the model is made up of 10 individual parts. There’s also some targets that you can print out as well, giving you something to shoot at once your bow is complete.

    You can download the STL files for free from Thingiverse or Cults3D. The maker uses 20 percent infill for the parts, none of which require support structures. Feel free to get creative with colors and personalize the Mini Crossbow to your style!

    According to the project’s creator, the crossbow is capable of firing off four consecutive shots. DIYPark also recommends wearing safety goggles to protect yourself from any stray arrows, because, well, it’s better to be safe than sorry.


    3D Printed Mini Crossbow: Putting it all Together

    In his Youtube video on the project (posted below), DIYPark shares insight into every step of the project, from 3D modeling to assembly. Right around the 3:30 mark, the maker moves on from the CAD modeling process to the assembly. The instructions are clearly depicted and easy to follow, but may require a tiny amount of post-processing to make sure everything fits together.

    Once all of the 3D printed parts are put together, it’s time to thread the fishing line onto the bow. Simply tie some knots on each end and snip the leftover sting off. And there you have it. Load in some toothpicks and take aim at the mini targets that DIYPark provides with the other STL files.

    And don’t forget, while it might look like a toy, the Mini Crossbow can be dangerous and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Please be careful where you aim this tiny bow, and don’t let children play around with it without adult supervision.

    License: The text of „Weekend Project: Take Aim With This Awesome 3D Printed Mini Crossbow“ by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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  • [DEAL] Proto-Pasta Polishable Steel PLA, 1.75mm 500g Spools 29% Off

    [DEAL] Proto-Pasta Polishable Steel PLA, 1.75mm 500g Spools 29% Off

    Reading Time: < 1 minute

    This Proto-Pasta Polishable Steel PLA filament has dropped to a near three-year low on Amazon.com, going for 29% less than list price.

    We big fans of specialty filaments, especially those that can be post processed to look utterly non-3D printed. Metal filaments are a top example of this: properly sanded and polished (or even just left in a rock tumbler) they can look like real lumps of cast metal.

    Don’t miss: Weekend Project: How to Properly Polish & Oxidize Your Metal 3D Prints

    This is especially applicable to Proto-Pasta’s Steel PLA, which can be polished and buffed up to develop an authentic patina.

    At the time of writing, you can pick 500g spools of Proto-Pasta Polishable Steel PLA up for for 29% off list price, $39.96 (down from $56) over at Amazon.com.

    Deal: Proto-pasta Polishable Steel PLA, 1.75mm 500g spool for $39.96

    Find more deals over on our Deals page.

    All3DP is an editorially independent publication. Occasionally we need to pay our bills, so we affiliate some product links through which we may receive a small commission. For the full spiel, check out our Terms of Use.

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  • 4GAMECHANGER Virtual Tour by Trusk Media e.U.

    4GAMECHANGER Virtual Tour by Trusk Media e.U.

    Reading Time: < 1 minute

    Das Team von Trusk Media e.U. war für uns bei den 4Gamechangers Festival unterwegs.

     

    LINK ZUR VIRTUELEN TOUR: http://4gamechanger.truskmedia.com/

  • Weekend Project: 3D Printed OKAY 2 Synth Brings Music to the Maker’s Ears

    Weekend Project: 3D Printed OKAY 2 Synth Brings Music to the Maker’s Ears

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Oskitone’s new and improved OKAY 2 is a mind-blowing DIY synth that you can 3D print and put together on your own. Hone your 3D printing and soldering skills with this sweet musical instrument and let the sounds sweep you away!

    Looking for a new musical instrument to play? Why not use your 3D printer to create a synthesizer that is completely tailored to your style? Well, we’ve got a great project for all the musically-minded makers to take on over the weekend.

    Last year, the San Francisco-based one-man musical instrument studio Oskitone released its first version of the OKAY synth, and has since refined the concept in a variety of ways. The new and improved OKAY 2 is an analog, monophonic, square wave synthesizer that is largely made up of 3D printed parts. It was designed on OpenSCAD and EAGLE by a man named Tommy, who is in charge of Oskitone.


    The instrument utilizes modular PCBs, octave and volume controls, and a speaker to share your creative sounds with the world. Unlike the first iteration, the OKAY 2 has a completely redesigned key mounting, improvements in the key travel distance, an audio out jack, and a built-in display stand.

    More Musical Ideas: 15 Groovy Ideas for Homemade Musical Instruments to DIY

    This 3D printed synth looks and sounds tremendous, and you can build your own customized version for a relatively low price. Let’s take a look at what it takes to assemble and start jamming out on the 3D printed OKAY 2 synth.

    [embedded content]

    DIY OKAY 2 Synth: What Do You Need?

    In order to build your own OKAY 2 Synth, you’ll need to have a 3D printer and soldering iron kit. While there are a number of electronic components inside of this compact instrument, you can acquire everything by ordering the OKAY 2 Synth DIY kit from the Oskitone website for $55.

    The STL files for the body and keys of the synthesizer are freely available on Thingiverse.

    If you want to skip the 3D printing and assembly process, you can also just purchase the assembled version of the synth in green or hot pink for $110. But building the OKAY 2 your self is half of the fun! So let’s figure out how to put it all together.


    DIY OKAY 2 Synth: Putting it All Together

    Putting together this DIY synthesizer is no easy feat, but thankfully Oskitone provides detailed instructions on how to put this project together. The lengthy assembly manual goes into the 3D printing settings, the PCB assembly, testing and debugging, and circuit schematics.

    As you can see in the time-lapse video below, the OKAY 2 Synth requires quite a bit of assembly and soldering time, but your hard work will be rewarded with a customized musical instrument create with your very own hands. If you want to learn more about how this synthesizer is put together, be sure to view the full assembly manual from Oskitone.

    [embedded content]

    License: The text of „Weekend Project: 3D Printed OKAY 2 Synth Brings Music to the Maker’s Ears“ by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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  • Helping the Visually Impaired with DOTS RPG Dice

    Helping the Visually Impaired with DOTS RPG Dice

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    On an epic quest to make roleplaying games more accessible to the visually impaired, Jack Berberette uses professional 3D printing services like Shapeways to fabricate his unique DOTS RPG braille dice.

    Roleplaying Games are a special pastime enjoyed by a broad audience. The DOTS RPG project is supporting a segment of the RPG fanbase frequently overlooked; people affected by the loss of their sight.

    Jack Berberette is the creator of the DOTS RPG project, which oversees the design and production of 3D printed braille dice for the visually impaired. Initially he was translating game books and other resources into braille, inspired by his friendship with De Juan Daniels, AKA “D”, a gifted dungeon master who also happened to be blind.

    But recognizing that players without sight needed dice they could read, Berberette collaborated with 3D modeller Sterling Pittman on the design of a set of braille dice suitable for 3D printing.

    The DOTS RPG dice 3D model files are available on Thingiverse, so folks can attempt to make them at home. But they’re also available for professional production on Shapeways with no markup beyond the cost of producing them.

    “This is a purely altruistic project… I don’t make a single penny of profit, and honestly have no desire to,” Berberette tells the Shapeways blog.

    “I don’t have the funds readily available to go through the injection mold process to mass produce the dice. But, I still needed a means to make high-quality dice.”

    Needless to say, Berberette has been thoroughly testing the 3D printed dice. When comparing the accuracy of rolls with a traditionally made set of die, he took detailed notes.

    “Basically, I rolled the Shapeways printed d20 and a Game Science d20 500 times each through a dice tower,” Berberette explains.

    “The results were pretty amazing. There is a 5% chance for a d20 to land on any side, and based on my rolls (which are not scientific) the Shapeways dice (probably due to a larger surface area) deviated from the 5% by only 0.58%. Meanwhile, the Game Science d20 deviated by 0.82%. Again, I’m sure the Game Science die is way more precise, but the Shapeways die performed really well.”

    DOTS RPG Project Made Possible with 3D Printing

    Don’t Miss: 3D Print a DIY Dice Tower for RPG or Tabletop Games

    So what’s next for the DOTS RPG Project?

    “Currently, our main goal is simply raising awareness,” says Berberette. “I’m hoping to get the news out to the entire gaming industry that there is a huge need for accessible gaming materials.”

    Heroic volunteers are also welcome to support the cause. If you know a visually impaired player that could use some braille dice, Berberette is eager to hear about it. Details can be found on the DOTS RPG Project “Heroes Wanted!” page.

    “We have a Dice Sponsor program. Through this, people who would like to sponsor dice can simply order dice from our Shapeways shop. And they can mail them directly to me, and I will get them to those on the waiting list. We also take PayPal donations and any funds we raise will go to the design, purchasing, and distribution of accessible gaming materials.”

    Tragically, D passed away in February this year. But Berberette remains dedicated to the DOTS RPG project, and continues to help other visually impaired players.

    “I am extremely grateful that before he passed, I was able to place braille gaming books and dice in his hands for the very first time.”

    dots rpg
    dots rpg
    Comparing the DOTS RPG 3D printed braille dice; one made using selective laser sintering (green) and three others made from fused deposition modeling (white, blue, orange).

    License: The text of „Helping the Visually Impaired with DOTS RPG Dice“ by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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  • How 3D Scanning Can Optimize Food Packaging

    How 3D Scanning Can Optimize Food Packaging

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Swiss specialists Bachmann Forming use Artec 3D scanners to digitize handcrafted chocolate bunnies, so they can create custom food packaging.

    Easter is long gone, and your teeth may feel a little tender after scarfing down all that delicious chocolate. But spare a thought for the elaborate packaging of that confectionery, and the modern technology that went into creating it.

    One packaging company, Bachmann Forming in Hochdorf, Switzerland, uses 3D scanners to optimize the packaging molds for their client’s chocolate bunnies. An ill fitting cardboard box just isn’t good enough; every curve of these delectable bunnies are showcased in form-fitting blue plastic.

    To design them, technicians capture the shape of an object using 3D scanners from Artec 3D, and then use the data to create a master form, which has an identical shape to the source object.

    Previously, master forms would be either handcrafted, manually ground, cast with epoxy resin or milled from wood. This is a painstaking process that could take several working days, depending on the complexity of the product.

    But the procedure has changed dramatically in recent years thanks to digitization. Master forms are now designed using computer-aided design (CAD) and manufactured from blocks of polyurethane on CNC-controlled milling machines.

    food packaging
    food packaging

    Optimizing Chocolate and Food Packaging with 3D Scanning

    Bachmann Forming chose Artec scanners for the task because of their ability to capture data without the need for extra orientation points.

    Compared to other 3D scanners, they do not need adhesive markers to be stuck over the object for the scanner to maintain tracking and to align scans. This is because algorithms in the software can analyze both the geometry and the color data of the object.

    “Especially in the case of chocolate or pralines, it would be pretty hard to stick something on them,” says Jörg Nussbaum, a design engineer at Bachmann.

    By using Artec’s technology to create a CAD model of the original chocolate bunny, Bachmann Forming can take advantage of the expedited process of CNC machining the master form. There’s also the added benefit of reducing manual error through hand measurements and machining.

    Overall, it takes Bachmann just one hour to complete the entire process.

    “We were impressed by the easy usability, and the geometry and texture-based tracking of the Artec Scanner,” Nussbaum enthuses. “Capturing color also makes it easy to create photorealistic visualizations in the design phase.”

    food packaging
    food packaging

    Source: New Equipment Digest

    License: The text of „How 3D Scanning Can Optimize Food Packaging“ by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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  • Prusa Multi Material 2.0 Upgrade Kit Enables 3D Printing with 5 Different Filaments

    Prusa Multi Material 2.0 Upgrade Kit Enables 3D Printing with 5 Different Filaments

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Prusa Research has just released the new Multi Material 2.0 upgrade kit for the popular Prusa i3 MK3 and MK2.5 3D printers, allowing users to print with up to five different materials simultaneously.  

    Based out of the historically grand city of Prague, Prusa Research has become the darling of the 3D printing community, namely for championing open source and relentlessly innovating upon desktop FDM 3D printing. The Czech 3D printer manufacturer has been on a roll since the Original Prusa i3 MK2 was unveiled in 2016, and founder Josef Prusa is showing no signs of slowing down.

    The Original Prusa i3 MK3 3D printer was released back in September 2017. The refined machine was met with critical acclaim by nearly everyone who laid a hand upon it (including All3DP).  Now, less than one year later, Prusa and his team are releasing what looks to be the most advanced multi-material system on the desktop 3D printing market.

    The new Multi Material 2.0 upgrade kit allows users of the Prusa i3 MK3 or MK2.5 to 3D print with five different materials simultaneously. While many other multi-material 3D printing systems are only capable of working with two materials at once, the MMU 2.0 upgrade kit aims to open up a new vibrant world for desktop 3D printing.

    There are a lot of integrated features in the new upgrade kit, so let’s take a closer look at what the MMU 2.0 has to offer.


    MMU 2.0 for Prusa i3 MK3 Ushers in New Era of Color 3D Printing

    The focus of this 3D printing enhancement is placed upon the ability to print with five materials, but there’s much more than meets the eye when it comes to Prusa’s MMU 2.0. The upgrade kit is equipped with two filament sensors and a filament cutter, which enables more seamless filament changing.

    Unlike the previous Multi Material upgrade released for the Prusa MK2, which used four material feeders with one hotend, the new kit uses a hybrid extrusion system. The Czech 3D printer manufacturer has removed the Y splitter that is found in the first iteration of the MMU, adding a direct drive extruder motor at the X-carriage.

    According to Prusa, the Multi Material 2.0 is easy and fast to assemble, and is manufactured with dedicated electronics and has optional manual controls. Moreover, the enhanced design is much simpler than the original MMU, making it effortless to use and less prone to filament jamming.

    Not only will users be able to explore expansive color options, the MMU 2.0 can print with any thermoplastic material, including soluble support filament like PVA and BVOH.

    The Multi Material 2.0 upgrade kit for the MK3 costs $299 (excluding tax), while the kit to change directly from the first version to the new MMU 2.0 costs $249 (also excluding tax).

    For those who have already ordered the new multi-material upgrade for the Prusa i3 MK3, there’s no need to fret, your order is already waiting in the wings. In fact, Prusa Research will send these users a $50 discount voucher to compensate for the price drop. There’s also a nice bargain for owners of the first MMU for the MK2/S, who will receive a $100 discount towards purchasing the MMU 2.0 upgrade kit.


    Prusa MK2 3D printer equipped with the first MMU upgrade.

    License: The text of „Prusa Multi Material 2.0 Upgrade Kit Enables 3D Printing with 5 Different Filaments“ by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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  • Mything is a Marketplace for 3D Printing Launching in Austria

    Mything is a Marketplace for 3D Printing Launching in Austria

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    This week, an Austrian start-up called Mything is being launched. The website is a 3D printing marketplace and aims to be the Amazon for this technology.

    Someday, most things we own may be produced locally by 3D printers. Bringing this dream closer to reality is Austrian startup, Mything. The company is launching this week and provides a 3D printing marketplace.

    Impressively, before launching, Mything managed to secure €2 million in investment. Florian Mott is CEO, co-founder, and former bwin marketing boss. Co-founders and investors include Gerhard Pail and Frank Kappe (KaPa Ventures).

    Their hope is that Mything can become successful in Austria as a central platform for everything relating to 3D printing with local production. If this is the case, expansion into Germany is also possible this year.

    CEO Florian Mott explains exactly what mything is and how it works: “In the near future, we will be the international marketplace for local 3D printing. It will be a central platform where product designers, local manufacturers, and customers can meet easily. mything’s revenue comes from commissions. Besides this triangular marketplace, local manufacture in 3D printing shops is at the heart of the platform. Several exist already and their number is rising fast. In the future, they’ll be as common as copy shops, sub-post offices, and other local suppliers.”

    Mything is Three-Sided Marketplace

    To use the site, simply browse the available products, personalize your chosen item and choose your manufacturer. After the print is complete, you can collect the item or have it delivered. Ready for this week’s launch, the company recruited 50 designers and 20 local 3D printing shops.

    Mott adds that the company’s disruptive factor may not be obvious at first. But, Mything hopes to link digital product designs with local 3D printing shops. Mott adds:

    “The classic production and distribution process from a product designer’s draft to receipt of a product by a customer requires transport and warehousing and so involves very many steps lasting weeks or months. We reduce this process to only a few steps and days; in future, in fact, it will be only a matter of hours.”

    Of course, this leads to lower costs for on-demand production, short delivery times and less pollution due to no need for long transport routes or warehouses. Mott is convinced that, because of these reasons, it’s only a matter of time before 3D printing overtakes the mass market.

    Currently, Mything is offering 800 products in the home, office and jewelry categories. Designs are available in 40 different materials and colors. You can also choose either 3D printing or laser cutting. But, more products will be added over time.

    Visit the new website to find out more about future products and expansion into other countries.

    Source: Press Release

    Mything
    Mything

    License: The text of „Mything is a Marketplace for 3D Printing Launching in Austria“ by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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  • Are You Crazy Enough to Run a Marathon in 3D Printed Sandals?

    Are You Crazy Enough to Run a Marathon in 3D Printed Sandals?

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Footwear Engineer Chris Bellamy is going to run the Boston Marathon in 3D Printed Sandals. Naturally, his employers at custom footwear maker Wiivv are only too happy to support him.

    The custom footwear company Wiivv has some dedicated employees. Engineer Chris Bellamy believes so much in the company, for example, that he’s going to run the Boston Marathon on 16 April in a pair of their 3D printed sandals.

    If it sounds like the kind of stunt that happens after losing a bet; well, you’d be absolutely right. According to the official Wiivv blog, Bellamy promised to run a marathon in the Wiivv Sandals if the company raised more than $500,000 from a Kickstarter campaign.

    “When everyone said our sandal was impossible, I bet them that I’d be able to run a marathon in them, and now I will,” Bellamy says with no hint of apprehension whatsoever.

    “We’ve reengineered every part of the traditional flip-flop to design the most comfortable, optimized sandal ever created, and I’ve had this marathon in the back of my mind through every decision we made.”

    3d printed sandals
    3d printed sandals

    Wiivv 3D Printed Sandals Made From Digitally Mapped Feet

    Wiivv Sandals are custom made for each wearer using foot measurements taken from the Wiivv app.

    Each foot is digitally mapped using more than 200 points to understand arch contours, foot length, width and volume, and toe spacing.

    Wiivv then 3D prints a custom arch for each foot, places each toe thong to fit between your toes, and adjusts each strap to fit your foot.

    They sound very comfortable, but are they really suitable for running a 26 mile marathon…?

    Bellamy qualified for the Boston Marathon by running his first marathon in Vancouver last year in two hours and 52 minutes. Just last weekend ran in a half marathon in the Wiivv sandals, so he seems ready for the task that lays ahead.

    “There is nothing more pleasing as an engineer than to put your money where your mouth is,” says Bellamy. Ahem. Or your feet.

    Wiivv sandals will be available to buy from May for $129, with a pre-launch sign-up open for early access at Wiivv.

    3d printed sandals
    3d printed sandals

    License: The text of „Are You Crazy Enough to Run a Marathon in 3D Printed Sandals?“ by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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